The Film Baby Review: A Sharp Depiction of Queer Brazilian Survivors Lost in the System
Evoking the metropolitan unease and dynamic spirit of São Paulo, director Marcelo Caetano's unflinching drama zooms in on those who inhabit the outskirts of an ever-changing metropolis. Fresh out of juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (the actor João Pedro Mariano) faces a critical turning point; abandoned by his parents, the innocent young man seeks comfort in the arms of others.
On an night on the town with his rowdy group of gay and non-binary friends, Wellington encounters Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a hunky, charismatic hustler significantly older than his age. Bathed in the pulsating light of a adult movie theater, their introductory rendezvous is physical and passionate, with an edge of danger. Ronaldo promptly ushers Wellington to the shadowy world of sex work and selling drugs.
A Portrait of Empathy Instead of Sensationalism
Caetano depicts Wellington’s new life of crime with gentle sympathy rather than as a sensationalist cautionary tale. Now going by the name of Baby, he enters his commercial trysts with brash fearlessness and touching naivety. To his customers, Wellington provides not just his youth and his body, but also instances of tenderness.
In the electrifying chaos of São Paulo, teeming with busy lanes and brightly painted facades, there’s a gnawing loneliness, as rootless people cling on to one another for temporary happiness.
"The city can be riddled with risk, yet they are the place where they can discover chosen kin, too."
A Complicated Dynamic of Affection and Power
Ronaldo is simultaneously a partner and a sheltering paternal presence to Wellington, but their relationship is derailed by envy and financial instability. Threats from dubious individuals in the shadow economy seem minor next to the anxiety about institutional observation and incarceration, symbolized by the looming presence of police officers in the area.
Baby is especially potent as an astute portrait of the disenfranchised individuals who have slipped through the gaps the social system. The film functions as a poignant look into survival, chosen family, and the pursuit of self within a unforgiving urban landscape.
